Ekow Assafuah Petitions OSP to Probe Alleged COCOBOD Conflict of Interest
The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to launch a full criminal and corruption-risk investigation into alleged conflict-of-interest and potential abuse of office at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
The petition concerns the conduct and role of Mr Ato Boateng, Acting Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration at COCOBOD, in relation to the commercial operations of Atlas Commodities Limited, a private company engaged in cocoa trading and related activities.
In the petition issued on Thursday, February 19, Mr Assafuah cited Article 287 of the 1992 Constitution, the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), and its 2020 amendment (Act 1030), requesting what he described as a thorough and independent criminal probe into serious governance, regulatory, and conflict-of-interest concerns.
Among the issues raised for investigation are whether Mr. Boateng’s prior executive leadership role at Atlas Commodities Limited, combined with his current position at COCOBOD, constitutes a conflict of interest amounting to abuse of office.
The MP is also asking the OSP to determine whether Mr. Boateng fully declared his prior relationship with the company upon assuming public office.
“I respectfully request the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate: Whether Mr. Ato Boateng’s prior executive leadership of Atlas Commodities Limited, combined with his present role at COCOBOD, constitutes a conflict of interest amounting to abuse of office. Whether his prior relationship with Atlas Commodities was fully declared upon assumption of public office,” the petition said.
The petition further calls for investigations into whether Atlas Commodities Limited received preferential treatment, regulatory accommodation, operational advantages, or institutional protection within COCOBOD.
It also questions whether the company’s reported use of Produce Buying Company (PBC)-registered warehouses occurred with institutional approval, tacit consent, or direct facilitation.
Mr. Assafuah is requesting the OSP to initiate a full-scale criminal investigation, trace financial and regulatory decision trails linking COCOBOD operations to Atlas Commodities, audit warehouse licensing records and cocoa movement logs, and commence prosecutions where culpability is established.
He also called for institutional corrective measures to prevent recurrence.
In the petition, the MP described the cocoa sector as a strategic national asset, warning that any compromise of its regulatory integrity through conflict of interest or abuse of authority poses serious economic and governance risks.
Mr. Boateng currently serves as Acting Deputy Chief Executive (Finance and Administration) at COCOBOD, a role that oversees financial approvals, administrative systems, regulatory coordination, compliance oversight, and operational governance within the cocoa sector.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has yet to publicly respond to the petition.
